This is a dinner we make on repeat, because it can use whatever is in the kitchen. About fifteen minutes of hands-on work gets a balanced one-pan meal of protein, rice, and vegetables in a single pot.
Use whatever frozen vegetable blend is in your freezer; we have made it with a lot of different combinations and they all work. The leftovers are just as good, and we like add some flavor variety with a spoonful of salsa, a dash of hot sauce, or a drizzle of chipotle aioli. Simply put, it’s an easy chicken thigh dinner recipe you should add to your weekly rotation.
What our readers are saying
Another keeper … didn’t have frozen veggies so I added carrots & broccoli … it was sooo good. Did have to add extra broth half way through. My fussy partner couldn’t get enough. Like many of your other recipes … this one we will make on a regular basis. Thank you!
Kay
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Related ->> Check out our dutch oven whole chicken recipe.
What makes this one pot chicken and rice work
Searing first. The seasoned thighs sear for two minutes a side, which browns the outside and leaves some seasoned bits on the bottom of the pot. Pour in the rice, broth, and frozen vegetables next and they scrape up all of that, so the grains cook in seasoned chicken flavor instead of plain water.
The seasoning. One simple mix, and it gets used twice. Half seasons the chicken before searing, and the other half stirs into the rice. That second half is why the rice tastes like part of the meal instead of a bland base under the chicken.
How to make dutch oven chicken thighs (step-by-step)
What we learned testing this recipe
- The best rice to use: Use white rice; jasmine cooked the fastest for us. Stir it down into the broth before the lid goes on so no dry grains sit on top, and it shouldn’t have any crunch at the 40-45 minute mark.
- Thighs vs breasts: We prefer boneless thighs, they stay the most tender through baking. If you use breasts, follow the recipe notes for cooking. Just know that breasts can dry out in the oven.
- No Dutch oven: No problem. Just uses a large oven-safe skillet with a lid. Or, skip the oven and simmer it covered on the stovetop over low heat (this is the method we use often).
- Vegetables you can use: Our usual mix is peas, carrots, and green beans, but broccoli, snap peas, and bell peppers also work.
Similar flavor, different meal
If this one becomes a regular, we have some other one-pot dinners to rotate in on a different night. Our creamy beef and mushroom skillet is a 30-minute stovetop dinner when you want something other than chicken. If you only have ground chicken, this ground chicken and rice with veggies is a similar all in one pan dish. Finally, for a creamy chicken recipe you can serve over rice and noodles with sauce, our creamy Tuscan chicken is another one we make on repeat.
Dutch Oven Boneless Chicken Thighs and Rice (One Pot)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tbsp avocado oil, (divided)
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth, (or vegetable broth)
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables
For the seasoning mix:
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp sea salt
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Instructions
- Adjust oven racks to accommodate your dutch oven if needed. Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
- Make the seasoning mix by combining the spices in a bowl and mixing well.1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground sage, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp sea salt
- Prep the garlic and onion as noted.1 onion, diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Season the chicken on both sides with 1/2 of the seasoning mix (3 tsp), reserving the rest for later.2 lbs Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and add in 2 tbsp of avocado oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the chicken to sear for 2 minutes per side. The chicken won't be fully cooked, that's intentional. Remove and place on a plate.3 tbsp avocado oil, 2 lbs Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Add in 1 more tbsp avocado oil to the dutch oven and the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes.1 onion, diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Add the rice and broth to the pan. Dump in the frozen vegetables and the rest of the seasoning mix. Stir to mix. Make sure the rice is mixed in with the liquid.1 cup uncooked white rice, 2 cups chicken broth, 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables
- Place the chicken on top of the rice and close the lid. Place in the preheated oven to bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.
- Carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
What size Dutch oven did you use/works best?
We used a 6-qt and it’s more than enough. You can also use a deep 8-inch skillet that’s oven safe. It can also be made on the stovetop per the recipe notes :).
Haven’t tried this yet, but wondering if quinoa could be used instead of rice. Have to watch our carbs closely.
Yes, quinoa should work fine. Just watch the cooking time for the quinoa and make sure to cook it according to the package instructions and ensure the chicken is cooked through.
I have made this a few times and we both liked it, I kinda do my own spices sometimes and it’s quite easy to make and I normally have everything on hand.
I’m hesitant to make this because every time I make a one pot recipe with rice, the does not cook fully and O ends up with hard rice all over the cooked food. Do you have any helpful tips?
Hi Marie – we’ve had that happen before, too. I tend to prefer white jasmine rice for a recipe like this because it cooks quickest. Hope that helps! 🙂
Can instant rice be used?
We only tested this with uncooked jasmine rice. If you want to use instant rice, you could add it in for the cooking time recommended towards the end of baking the chicken in the oven (recipe step #8)
Unfortunately this recipe did not turn out well for me. Not sure if I did something wrong, but the flavor was off and the rice was not good.
I’m not sure what went wrong, sorry your meal didn’t turn out well. Maybe you used a spice that was bad and/or undercooked the rice?
Finally, a one pot chicken and rice dish that is easy and tasty! I used basmati rice and omitted the oregano. It was perfect and will make this regularly!
Love hearing that, it’s such an easy one pot dinner!
Hi! So excited to try this recipe. Is it long grain rice or short grain? Thank you in advance.
We used long grain rice. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Jo Anne Williams
Can I use brown rice?
Yes but brown rice may take longer to cook.
Very easy to make, can use any vegetables your family likes, and very tasty.. A winner in our household
Happy to hear that!
This was delicious and so easy to prepare.
Followed everything except I did not add vegetables.
My husband and daughter loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome!
Excellent as is I did not change a thing! Love Garlic
I got a Dutch oven for Christmas and wanted to try something simple. This was very good and the chicken thighs were very juicy and tender. Much different than a crock pot. Will definitely have this again.
Can you make this in a slow cooker?
Hi Jackie. We haven’t tried it but I think you could, it would probably take about 2-3 hours on high in the slow cooker. I’d leave out the frozen veggies though and simply add them in at the end for about 5-10 minutes to warm up.
Another keeper … didn’t have frozen veggies so I added carrots & broccoli … it was sooo good. Did have to add exrta broth half way through. My fussy partner couldn’t get enough. Like many of your other recipes … this one we will make on a regular basis. Thank you!
You’re very welcome, glad you both enjoyed it!
Can I do this in the instapot? Making tonight!
We haven’t tried it, so I’m just guessing on the times here but you could try. I’d do 20-22 minutes on high in the instant pot with a quick release. Then just stir in the frozen veggies at the end and let them warm up.
Easy added a few more spices but overall followed your instructions. Great meal and even better leftovers for work.
Perfect! Yes, this is a versatile recipe you can easily customize to suit your taste 🙂
Has anyone tried with fresh veggies instead of frozen?
You can use fresh veggies, just pick ones that will cook in about 40 minutes. Some good options are broccoli florets, green beans, cauliflower.
So tasty and so simple! Hands down my favorite chicken and rice recipe. Ours was in the oven for 40 min, the whole thing start to served on the table was about an hour.
Happy to hear it was a hit! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review! 🙂 Make sure to check out all of our easy one pan recipes!
My husband and I LOVED this recipe. Thank you for sharing it.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for coming back to leave a review, we appreciate it 🙂
Thank you so much for this delicious healthy recipe!!
You’re very welcome!
Great recipe ! Even better if you offered InstantPot cooking instructions !!
If you wanted to do it in the IP you could saute the chicken and cook the rice and chicken on manual for 20 minutes. Then, stir in the frozen veggies at the end and let them warm up.